Olympic Squad

B.A.R. said:
Josh Smith is a unique player. It cracks me up when he starts taking jumpshots. If he simply played his role he would be much better. He is a def factor for the Hawks an can change the momentum of a game in short periods. That being said, Bosh is clearly the superior player. He can play with his back to the basket, face up, shoot mid-range jumpers and penetrate. He gets better every year.
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Agree with you 100%

:shake:
 
So because B.A.R. who is good in NBA says Bosh over Smith thats the deciding vote?

Dont get me wrong B.A.R. is proven in nba but even B.A.R. like anyone else in life gets things wrong. I'm not gonna bring up example(s) because im not about to do that and it dumb. Aslo, Im not one to say Smith is better than Bosh either. It's an opinion open for discussion. Bosh was choosen as were 11 others.

What I did was bring up a list of players I'd consider, my team of 12, and posted a startign lineup.

You dont like it great. You wanna question my knowledge in nba and say i should stick to wnba that great and all. Even tho it make no sense to me since i dont bet wnba nor follow it.

Like my basketball coach said in HS, "Opinions are like assholes everyone has one." I have one, B.A.R. has one, you have one, everybody has one. If you wanna hold one a certain way as opposed to another that fine.

Again, all I did was offer mine. Tear it to pieces start a discussion. More discussion on this site the better. Beats just picks, no reasoning, and gl's anyday.
 
discussing the olympic team means you have to look way past which player is simply better. every piece matters. so in the case of comparing Josh Smith and Bosh, obviously Bosh is the much better player, and if you're looking and who to build a team around, Bosh is the guy. But in the context of the team, the case can be made for Smith, cuz as things stand now, D12 is the only legitimate shotblocker on the team. Meanwhile, Boozer and Bosh are basically the same type of player, possessing outstanding offensive games but bringing very little to the table in terms of a defensive presence. So now if D12 gets hurt or has foul trouble, theres a hole in the backline.

Boozer and Bosh are both much better players than Smith, but having both of them on the team is redundant, so theres an easy case to be made for a lesser player replacing one of them that brings something else to the table. Ideally, the player would be Tyson Chandler, but a guy like Smith also makes sense.

its the same deal with Kidd. He's no longer an elite NBA PG, but considering what he brings to the table, he might be a better fit on the olympic team than point guards that are much better than he is.
 
Bosh can be one of the better shot blockers in the league. Hes been asked to play out of position for the past few years. Bosh's strength on D is as a weak side shot blocker. He is ideally set up for international ball. He has a post up game, as well as a mid range, along with the speed and sgility to contest perimeter shots.

J. Smiths suspect jumpshot has to leave off the team and watching from home. International teams will just continue to play zone, leaving Smith to shoot you outta games or forcing the issue inside whereby letting the defender flop for a charge.
 
B.A.R. when you gonna hit this thread up with more discussion. Id like to see you're team of 12 you'd choose. And starting 5. Thoughts on mine, too. :popcorn:
 
I really dont see why Id need Bosh on my team when i got Lebron starting at PF and Jamison and Boozer off the bench?

Again Olympic basketball is NOT all about putting together a team of superstars. We saw that last few years from teams we were sending. YOu need to make a team just like any of the great NBA teams of past have. Finding players who compliment one another, can play a bunch of different lineups/styles, and have unique strengths.

The team i made feature CP/Redd/Lebron. I love that trio. I have a pg who can play amazingly fast in CP and one who I think is better at running half court in Deron. Both are very skilled all around. Deron won skills contest tho ;) I have sharpshooter at 2 in Redd to space the floor. A slasher/defender/midrange in Pierce/Kobe at 3. A high post face basket attack/pass in Lebron. A monster in Howard to get on the glass and do dirty work.

Off the bench i think i have a pretty good diverse group of players who have different skill sets and i can trust with ball if they had to be in game late. Jefferson has a lot of good back to basket moves at C. Boozer a strong left hand/good in P&R. Antawn all-around good on both ends of floor. Artest is lock down defender off bench. Wade can slash/create. Most importantly tho I know i can trust all 12 with ball in their hands if they had to be in game late.

Dont get me wrong i like the team we are sending but I have some concerns about roster. Who is lock down defender on wings? I'd think Kobe but how is he from long postseason run. He gonna want to put himself thru all the mental and physical work that is defense of what should be a long olympic run? How bad is finger? I dunno.

Very little back to basket moves down low. Why no Al Jefferson? He's got plenty of good moves down there.

Bosh and Boozer are too much of the same to my liking. Why no Antawn Jamison to replace one of the two?

Prince over an Artest/Posey/Pierce.

Kidd i have mixed feelings about. Teams can sag off him b/c of his shot in halfcourt. However, in the full court you better get up on him b/c he sees the floor as good as the best of em. Good on d. If we have Kidd for running and gun why both CP and Deron? Id rather see a big not a 3rd pg.

Carmelo can score. But so can anybody else on him. What's the +/- here? Not sure i can trust Melo or Prince.
 
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I am going to kind of make one on the fly here and then perhaps revise..

Centers:

Dwight Howard
Andrew Bynum

Fowards:

LeBron James
Kevin Garnett/C-lo's Boozer
James Posey
Tayshaun Prince
Rashard Lewis

Guards:

Andre Miller
Chris Paul
Kobe Bryant
Richard Hamilton
Joe Johnson/Mike Redd

This is a quick compliation. This team is built on variety. I know KG isn't considering International hoops anymore but this is hypothetical anyways. I replaced Kidd with Andre Miller. Love how he has played the last year + and he can hit mid-range jumper consistently. I have shooters like Hamilton, JJ(or Redd) and Rashard to keep court open. I have a few defensive specialist's that may only have to play in a few games but could be the difference. Lebron would play 4 positions no doubt at any time.

Who would I start? Good question.

Howabout:

Andre Miller
Kobias
Rashard
LeBron
Howard

I could then shuffle in CP3, Prince and Bynum and suround them with Kobias and Rashard. My rotations would always consist of 3-4 scorers then a guy content to play a role. Why Miller over CP3, I want CP3 to run the second team. Miller will be throwing alley-oops on the intermediate break to KB,LB and Howard early.

Critique
 
Rashard Lewis is a great mention. Lot like Antawn Jamison i have. Both are built to play 3/4 internationally with their game.

Like your Andre/RIP mentions too.

I just got done chatting with JPicks about the team.

Think imma change my 12 a little ...

CP/Deron or Andre Miller
Redd/Kobe/Wade
Pierce/Battier or Artest or Posey or Gerald Wallace
Lebron/Jamison/Emeka Okafor
Howard/Al Jeff
 
Theres not enough role players

these guys arent accustomed to taking back seats to anyone and cant perform well in the roles they need to take

i think someone like Battier or Posey would be a better fit than Carmelo
 
Smokedawg said:
Theres not enough role players

these guys arent accustomed to taking back seats to anyone and cant perform well in the roles they need to take

i think someone like Battier or Posey would be a better fit than Carmelo
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'Zactly!
 
Battier over Carmelo every day. I'm struggling to think of a ton of role players on teams at the moment but this team needs more "Matt Harprings" and less Melos. I want AI on the team and I don't care if he ever plays. I honestly think that guy hates losing more than ANYBODY.
 
Just look at the 72 win Bulls or '92 Dream Team and get a bunch of players to fill either team's roles. Problem solved.
 
JPicks said:
Battier over Carmelo every day. I'm struggling to think of a ton of role players on teams at the moment but this team needs more "Matt Harprings" and less Melos. I want AI on the team and I don't care if he ever plays. I honestly think that guy hates losing more than ANYBODY.
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Nice mention of a Harpring. I seriously was scratching my head trying to think of a guy like that.
 
How bout a Kyle Korver as a sharp shooter? Dude wants nothing to do with dribbling. All shooting all the time.
 
Guys, Carmelo is playing the PF, not LeBron. Also, Bosh has done very well for himself in international play, not sure what you are looking at brewer.
 
I thought Lebron was at Point Forward last summer and Melo was on opposite wing of Kobe?
 
I think Bosh is soft. I dont like him. Gimme Jamison or Lewis over him if i need scoring at PF. Emeka for d.
 
All the mentioning of Jazz players really just means one thing. Send the 12 best players to the Olympics and have Jerry Sloan coach them. Melo will have his ass on the bench in the first quarter after not hustling down a board. Sloan will be bringing guys in out of the stands to play if need be.
 
Kobe was incredible last year, not sure how you can make the argument he doesn't start in the international game, no matter what Redd brings to the table for the team which is a lot, no doubt.

I would not be surprised if this team struggles in later games. The international game is so physical and Howard had trouble last year staying out of foul trouble. CP3 and Wade are my biggest factors. If they can play their game, this team will be hard to stop.

Bummed they left Tyson off but he was named the first alternate.
 
Goopster24 said:
Kobe was incredible last year, not sure how you can make the argument he doesn't start in the international game, no matter what Redd brings to the table for the team which is a lot, no doubt.

I would not be surprised if this team struggles in later games. The international game is so physical and Howard had trouble last year staying out of foul trouble. CP3 and Wade are my biggest factors. If they can play their game, this team will be hard to stop.

Bummed they left Tyson off but he was named the first alternate.
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I wouldn't be suprised if he gets in. Injuries will occur. What if Bryant or Wade re-aggravate an injury. Prince got hurt last year come to think of it.
 
Bosh was the best shooter for the USA team during the World Championships. He will be great for this team.
 
Kobe was out to prove something last summer imo. With a long postseaosn and the way it ended plus his finger i dont see him locking people down. If he gonna be Finals version of Kobe he can come in off bench.
 
This team is built on athleticism and versatility, the two things that define the NBA today compared to before. We will see if this can match up with the rest of the world which is still playing like it's 1980 (which isn't a bad thing).
 
Kobe said today this morning on Mike & Mike that he will put a gold medal above anything else he has received in his career in his trophy case, for what it's worth.
 
I see too many superstars trying to play roles i think other people can play better nor know if they will accept and some roles not even being addressed.

Im somewhat concerned but hey we are still 4-1 favs.
 
Goopster24 said:
This team is built on athleticism and versatility, the two things that define the NBA today compared to before. We will see if this can match up with the rest of the world which is still playing like it's 1980 (which isn't a bad thing).
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Excellent observation.

Brewer,

I agree he had something to prove. He also had a long season, but his pinky injury has nothing to do with defense.

This being said, someone find me the rosters of the other teams. That would be great.
 
Scola gonna beat the shit out of our frontline just like he did last year. Dude has no stop button on his controller.
 
Other country's teams in the Olympics? Not sure everyone else is finalized...

They said the Spurs are telling Manu not to play.
 
I just wonder how exactly Prince will play on this team. That is a HUGE question. He took Tyson's spot, remember. Also, like him or not, Amare FUCKED this team.
 
Im not. Im saying find people to fill those 12 spots and that should be the team. That is the best team ever afterall. I think they would be favored over the 72 win bulls :(
 
Do you realize who they played against and who we have to play against now? Not even close. We are playing other teams that do have NBA talent. There was NONE of that back then. Come on now.
 
I think that model for a team would work. Just as i think any of the recent models for past NBA teams who have won title would.
 
brewer said:
Im not. Im saying find people to fill those 12 spots and that should be the team. That is the best team ever afterall. I think they would be favored over the 72 win bulls :(
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they would kill the 72 win Bulls

A great team..1996 Bulls..but also at the height of when expansion an Jordan/fab Five had killed basketball skills

They wouldn't break 55 wins back in the late 80's...well maybe break 60...still
 
brewer said:
Find similar players to fill these infamous 24 shoes ...

David Robinson - Duncan, Bosh, Okafor
Patrick Ewing - Amare
Larry Bird - KG
Scottie Pippen - Ron Artest, Caron Butler
Michael Jordan - Pierce, Kobe, Wade
Clyde Drexler - Lebron
Karl Malone - McDyess, J. Oneal
John Stockton - Andre Miller, TJ Ford
Chris Mullin - Brandon Roy, Larry Hughes
Charles Barkley - Boozer
Earvin "Magic" Johnson, Jr. - Grant Hill
Christian Laettner - Brad Miller
Click to expand...

^ This is sure to start a car or two on fire.
 
Pretty sure i got Drexler. Drexler was my fav player. Lebron reminds me more Drexler than Jordan.

Some of these were real hard. As i couldn't add Yao for Ewing and Deng for Bird.
 
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Looks for the most part team is getting along. Then again you got Kobe and Boozer off by themself on the right.
 
Getting back to a little OT here but seriously what has Chris Bosh done to prove he "hands down" or"without a question" the better player compared to Josh Smith. Josh Smith imo is the best defensive frontcourt player in the league maybe all around defender regardless of position. Chris Bosh is no doubt on of the worst defensive 4's in the whole NBA. Ok so Bosh has a nice offensive game. Averages 18 a game and pulls down 8 boards. Well guess what here. Josh Smith averages 14 with 8 boards 3 assists and 3 blocks a game. Bosh is also probably one of the softest players in this whole league. And simply put this way. Nobody is fucking with Smith. To say that hands down Bosh is the superior player is just dumb imo. Smith is still doing this btw with no offensive game outside of 10 feet. Pure athleticsm.
 
Just because you have a lot of blocked shots, doesnt always make you a great defender.

Same thing if you have a lot steals.

If you think Smith is the best defensive frontcourt player in the league, than that's your opinion.

But there are a lot of big men in this league, who are better defenders than Josh Smith.
 
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